I Will Always
by BloodStainsOnMyKisses
Summary: Kanda Yuu had gone to Tiedoll Corps for the day, while his wife, Rae Kanda and their 3 month child Sophia Hana, stayed home. Coming home though, he finds the door broken down, furniture overturned, ornaments broken and the family gone. The desperate tale of a father and husband trying to get his family back.
1. Prologue

_**..I WILL ALWAYS..**_

**Title: I Will Always**

**Author: BloodStainsOnMyKisses**

**Genres: Mystery and Suspense**

**Characters: Yuu Kanda, Rae Kanda and Sophia Hana Kanda3**

**Summary: The Kanda family had started perfectly one morning. Yuu Kanda had gone to Tiedoll Corps. For the day, while his wife, Rae Kanda and three month old child Sophia Hana, stayed. Coming home for his lunch hour, he finds the door broken down, furniture overturned, ornaments broken and the family gone.**

* * *

><p>PROLOGUE<p>

Yuu and Rae were very rudely awakened by the disrupting alarm clock that morning. Grumbling while slapping the alarm clock to shut it up and simultaneously tapping his wife on the shoulder for her to get up, Yuu stalked out of bed to check on the baby.

Satisfied to find the child still snoozing in her cot, he smiled to himself, softly stroking the small face of his daughter. Somehow sensing his presence, Sophia reached out and gripped her father's finger. In return he picked her up and cradling her in one arm.

"Yuu!" Rae called from the other side of the room, where she had finally decided to get up and change.

"Hm," he replied.

"You're getting late," Rae told him pulling a shirt over her head, and flinging a navy blue oxford across the room, successfully landing it on his head, reaching over and taking their daughter down the stairs.

Shaking his head, but not in anger, he put on the allotted article of clothing and took the stairs to join his family.

Grabbing his keys, phone and green tea mug, he kissed the child on her cheek, Rae on her forehead and left the house.

And he never knew what happened next.

* * *

><p>END PROLOGUE<p>

**BloodStainsOnMyKisses: **_**HOW WAS IT**_**? Yes, sorry it's kinda—okay maybe really—short but you people would already know that about me by now, right? Now to explain something: IT IS SO BLOODY HARD TO WRITE A KANDA! And haha yes, I'll call him Yuu from now on. Or at least in this story. Because I know that bastard would kill me otherwise. XD**

**And I **_**promise **_**the next chapters are going to be longer… this is the only story I have planned from beginning to end…**

**-.-' yeah. So. **

**Okay, now my A/N is gonna end up bigger than my story if I don't stop right here.**

**BBUUUUTTTT my story, **_**Knowing You**_**: I'm stuck. I have no idea where to start from where I left it so…**

**Be patient, and as will I while I get over my STUPID WRITERS' BLOCK!**

**Owari.**


	2. Innocent Lives

**Updated: 24/12/2012**

* * *

><p><strong>The day they met: August 4th <strong>

_Absentmindedly, running to catch her plane, Rae bumped into someone, causing her to lose her grip on the bag she held. As her books and papers fell to the floor, mingling with the other's. She groaned. Especially when part of her coffee fell along with it._

"_Watch where you're going, woman," a voice growled as he picked up his own papers. _"_Well, I'm sorry," Rae huffed moodily, forever the mature and calm adult._

"_Now now. Play nice Yuu"_

"**SHUT UP DAISYA!" **_The man named_ _Yuu growled. The name struck to Rae as familiar… "Daisya? As in Daisya Barry?" she looked up to meet a familiar high school friend. "Oh, Rae! Long-time no see!" he exclaimed. "What was it, four years ago, at Vatican High?"_

"_Yeah! So, now what do you work as?"_

"_I'm the Vice President at my father's company. Yuu will join us shortly after he finishes at his college. What about you?"_

"_I'm studying in crime and law. I had always hoped in becoming a crime investigator. You know me!"_

"_Stupid idiots," Yuu straightened up, shoving her books at her. "And you look more like a killer than investigator to me."_

"_Do you think I look like a killer?" she asked Daisya._

"_Yeah, you kill my patience" Yuu answered out of turn._

"_Watch that attitude with me, bastard." she retorted._

"_Sorry, that's just my brother, Yuu."_

"Oh? _You never told me you had a brother…"_

"_Well, now you know," Yuu snapped._

* * *

><p><strong>The hate that was mutual: December 21st <strong>

_Yuu slid into his chair, across from Daisya and waiting for the rest of the family to show._

_What he didn't know about was the friend Daisya decided to bring over._

"_WHAT IS SHE/HE DOING HERE?" two people yelled in unison as they came face-to-face with each other._

"_He _is_ my brother." Daisya answered Rae._

"**HUMPH…**_he's sitting in my place..." she mumbled._

"_Am not. This is my place."_

"_But I always sit there."_

"_Well, not anymore."_

_Daisya watched the tennis match in sheer amusement, but resolved to help and said, "Now, now, kids. Play nice!"_

"_NOT HELPING!" they screamed in his direction. Annoyed to the limit that she didn't care how old she was, she shoved him onto the ground. Yuu scowled and muttered a few curses that caused Daisya to yell at him. _

_Finally getting up, he mirrored her previous movement, but because he had enough sense to understand it was a woman he was about to hit, he held back a little bit. _

"_Hah. You can't try to be me!" she said triumphantly._

_Using both his hands and his forearms, he pushed her off the chair, _"_OOMPH!"_

_He stuck his tongue out her as he sat, "Actually, I can do much better."_

_(Based off of an actual incident between my brother and I)_

* * *

><p><strong>The accidental events that brought them together: February 8th <strong>

_Blackout._

_There was a blackout after dinner, and at the time Rae had unfortunately been in the guest room, three feet away from Yuu's._

"_What happened?" Daisya's voice called. "Is everybody okay?"_

"_No, retard. We all died because the lights turned off," was the answer he got from his brother._

_Rae chuckled at this. She stepped forward to find a flashlight; apparently she was the only one in the house who knew where it was, even if it wasn't exactly her house._

_Unfortunately she didn't see Yuu standing right in front of her._

"_OW!" two combined voices yelled at each other._

_Rae rubbed her forehead furiously, dodging from hitting Yuu one more time to find that darn light._

_After a few minutes' worth searching in the kitchen, its rightful place, she yelled at the two boys: "WHERE IS THE FLASHLIGHT?"_

_Once told that it was with Tiedoll, currently out of the house, she groaned inwardly. Trotting out of the room, she could make out enough to see that she had nearly bumped into Yuu…the second time that day. They crossed each other moodily, but Rae failed to notice the step ladder in front of her, tripping and falling. Straight into the man she currently hated most._

_Daisya whipped into the hall when he heard the crash. Sliding his iPhone on, he caused light enough to see other the occupants of the house sprawled on the floor, Rae on top of Yuu._

_And it looked very fishy. _

_Trying to keep from putting all her weight on Yuu, Rae shifted some onto her hands. She tried getting up, only to find pain shoot through her ankle._

"_G-get off me, woman" came the voice from beneath her._

"_I—I can't. My ankle…"_

"_Are you guys….kiss—?"_

_Both people knew what he was about to say, cutting him off immediately with a loud, and "NO!"_

_Daisya grabbed a blushing Rae from by the arms, lifting her up and placing her on the sofa nearby._ "_Oooh, I think you dislocated your ankle!" He announced._

"_WHAT?"_

_Yuu snorted, petting his head where it had collided with the ground. "You can't trust him in first aid; he'll kill you rather than save your ass, anytime." He got up. _

_Bending over her lifted foot, examining it, he said, "You sprained it, _not dislocated, _Daisya, _sprained_."_

_Grabbing his brother's phone he moved to the kitchen, searching for the first aid kit._

_Pulling out a linen bandage, he wrapped her ankle carefully._

_He looked up at her. Her face was covered by her hands to hide the deepening blush._

Why was she blushing so darn much? _She thought_.

* * *

><p><strong>First kiss: February 9th<strong>

_SCREEEECCHHHHH__**!**_

"_You're a terrible driver," Yuu commented calmly. _

"_HOW CAN I BE SO CALM AS TO WHEN MY SISTER IS IN HOSPITAL?" Rae yelled at him furiously. He only shrugged nonchalantly._

_Waiting in the hospital room, Rae hadn't even noticed the arm that was wrapped around her shaking shoulders, or how her hand slipped into his because he was the only form of comfort she had right then, but when she woke up she found herself asleep on Yuu's shoulder, and that might have been when she had fallen, stone hard, for him._

_It was late, the same night Rima had died. Daisya had made him promise that he would arrange to send Rae home. As her sobs continued, they walked to her house together with his arm around her shoulder, trying _– as Daisya told him to_ – to comfort her, and could see it was obviously not working._

"_Rae, look at me," he said, for the first time calling her by her first name. She ignored him._

"_Rae," his voice grew softer, making her look up at him._

"_What?" she whispered; her tears refused to let her voice go higher._

Kiss_. He kissed her un-hesitantly and willingly. Before she knew it, she found herself responding to it, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, only because it was the closest thing she had to a human being around her. Yuu was surprised at how she reacted; he thought she would have slapped him hard in the face by now. He grinned against their kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist too and forcefully yanked her against his body. That was when they realized his love for her._

_And so she welcomed him…_

* * *

><p><strong>First fight: February 15th <strong>

_She had slapped him, and now she was shocked, and now tears were falling down her face._

_She had _slapped_ him._

_She just felt so guilty, she wanted to kill herself._

"_Rae?" Yuu's voice could be heard from behind her._

"_I'm so sorry," she whispered._

"_No," he said, and her eyes widened, afraid he would leave her. What followed surprised her; "I'm sorry," he said, hugging her from the back, placing his head between her shoulder blades about an inch under her neck._

"_I'm sorry, Rae, okay? I'm sorry"_

* * *

><p><strong>The proposal: May 21st <strong>

_The boat was already very swaying before she jumped._

"_Rae, behind you, what's that?" Yuu pointed. She turned around, not seeing anything._

_When she turned around it was the surprise of her life._

_An open box, inside it laid a solitaire diamond ring. She covered her mouth in order to keep herself from screaming in excitement._

"_Rae, will you marry me?"_

_Oh_

_My_

_God_

"_Yes" she whispered, tears falling unstoppably against the hands that were still plastered against her mouth. "Yes, yes, yes!" Then, hugging him around the neck, not paying attention to the boat under them that was swaying hard, she kissed him._

_She moved in with him._

_They got a beautiful house on the seaside, and the perfect place to reach both their jobs at a fair distance: Yuu at Tiedoll Corps.; Rae as the homicide crime scene investigator she always wanted to be._

_And they knew, together, their life would be perfect._

* * *

><p><strong>The news: July 21st <strong>

_Groaning as she woke up, Rae stole a glance at her clock._

_3:30 am_

"_Yuu," she groaned loudly, and he woke up from next to her._

"_You okay?" he asked, wiping at his eyes._

_With her eyes tightly shut, she shook her vigorously. By then her head was already in her hands._

"_Hey –?" he started, but cut himself off as she ran into the bathroom quickly, throwing up only seconds before she managed to get to the toilet bowl. She felt hands reach over to grab her open hair in one hand, and the other patting her back softly. She cried into her hands, belly aching and throat searing with pain. _

_They stayed in that position before she pushed him out of the bathroom, locking herself in it. He stayed right by the door, just in case she'd need him but knowing he wouldn't be able to do anything anyways. _

_He didn't know how long he waited there, just listening to the sounds of the shower, and then nothing. He must have zoned out once, because when the bathroom door swung open, he had to take a few steps backward before he regained his balance, as he'd been leaning on the door. _

"_You okay?" he asked for the second time that night. He took a note of her tired eyes and limpy body stance._

_She didn't answer, but only wrapped her arms around him. I'm pregnant," she said bluntly into his neck, "You decide if I'm okay or not."_

_Quickly getting over his shock, he hugged her around the waist back._

"_That's great," he whispered into her ear._

* * *

><p><strong>Her first tears: July 31st<strong>

"_Mrs Kanda?" the person on the other end of the line asked._

"…_Y-yes?"_

"_I-it's your father. Come quick"_

…

"_Father? Father?" Rae knocked on the door, stepping in gingerly, only to see the machines and beepers._

_He was not responding._

"_Father? Father, can you hear me?" she shook his shoulder slightly. And she collapsed on the foot of the bed, crying._

_She felt a hand on her shoulder, but she chose to ignore it completely._

"_Father, wake up. Daddy, I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry," she said, because she knew her father had never liked the man she chose to marry, or the life she had wanted to put onto herself. He hadn't accepted most of her life the way it was. So she apologized. Only when it was too late. _

_First sister, then father? At that moment, she was the sole member of that family. _

* * *

><p><strong>Sophia Hana: April 7<strong>

_They were invited to the Barry household for dinner that night. Finally having fitting thee beautiful turquoise dress over her rounded belly, Rae was ready to leave the house at last. After helping his wife to the car, Yuu stepped into the driver's seat and drove off to his brother's house._

_After a warm welcoming of the family's occupant's, that is to say Daisya, his wife Lenalee and their two kids, a two-year old Darren and eight month old Mai, a warm hug was given to Rae by both Daisya and Lenalee—well, a hug as best they could—while Daisya attempted to embrace his brother, (*cough*FAIL*cough*) and they were led to where the other guests were waiting._

_As they were finishing their meal Rae almost dropped her soup spoon as her hand trembled at the sudden pain that enveloped her body. Lenalee gave her a worried glance, and under the table Rae suddenly found her hand in Yuu's._

_Noticing her slight wince, Daisya motioned to Lenalee. Understanding, she excused herself and her sister-in-law, taking her by the hand into a guest bedroom down the hall._

_Placing herself on the bed, Rae began breathing heavily. Tears escaped the edges of her eyes, and not knowing when she had left, found Lenalee coming back with Yuu._

"_Are you okay?"_

_With one hand pressed on her mouth to keep herself from screaming, and the other stroking her 8-month old baby bump, she shook her head vigorously at her husband's question._

"_Hospital?" Lenalee's voice was anxious._

_Again, she shook her head._

"_Get her something to drink," a new voice that came from the door suddenly said, and through closed eyes Rae recognised it as Daisya's._

_As the clacking of Lenalee's heels died away, the only thing that could be heard were the desperate breaths Rae was unconsciously letting out, as she struggled to get air into her system._

_Running back, this time without her highly levelled shoes, Lenalee climbed onto the bed, sitting next to her and slowly placing the glass to the girl's lips, helping her drink carefully._

"…_Rae," this voice was now Yuu's, "We're going to the hospital, okay? Rae answer me… Rae…?"_

_Her sight had started to blacken, but she felt herself lifted into a car with Yuu as Daisya quickly clambered into the driver's seat, but not before Rae let out the sentence that she so badly didn't want to be true: "Yuu, my waters just broke."_

_Quickly they made their way to the hospital, and by that time Rae was breathing heavily again. Having already taken off her earrings and other jewellery, Yuu stuffed them into Daisya's hand._

…

_Another scream echoed through the empty hallways of the delivery ward._

_Breathing heavily, and with tears rolling down the edges of her eyes onto her neck, Rae held Yuu's hand tighter, as if she, that way, would never have to let go. She was chanting something none could understand nor hear, not even when she suddenly screamed it out. _

_Taking the deepest breath, she pushed on the doctor's order._

_It had been almost six hours since she'd gone into labour, and they were hardly getting anywhere. And Rae was in the severest of pain. Another inaudible scream escaped her lips; pain erupted in her once more._

"_That's good, Rae, now push harder. Push, Rae! Listen to me, we need the baby out, now!" the doctor urged._

"_B-but I can't—" she interrupted herself by a gasp of air, and she closed her eyes in pain._

_Suddenly the tense room was filled by the frail cry of a baby._

"_There you go! Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Kanda. You have been blessed by a girl," she smiled._

That was when he had promised himself to always protect them.

* * *

><p>Those were the memories that haunted him as he turned the corner to face a crowd blocking the view of his house that he usually had on this road.<p>

Getting out cautiously, he heard police cars, an ambulance and fire brigade.

"Kanda!" he heard Daisya yell in front of him.

"Daisya…w-what happened..?"

"Kanda—"

"WHAT HAPPENED?"

"Rae and Sophia. They're… they're g-gone."

"W-what?" he ran towards the house, ignoring the policemen's protests, and was horrified to see it demolished like there was no tomorrow. Stepping inside, there were tables and furniture overturned, photographs on the floor, pieces scattering the ground.

Rushing upstairs, he saw the railing splintered, the sofa torn to pieces.

Into their room he saw blood and broken glass all over the floor.

As he turned, something caught his eye as it glinted.

Picking it up, he realized what it was.

A platinum, diamond studded ring in the shape of a rose.

_Her wedding ring._

"Yuu," Daisya laid a hand on his shoulder.

Ignoring him, Yuu trudged out of his wrecked house, with the ring in hand. He didn't answer questions, didn't listen to the voices calling him, and didn't bother to turn around when Lenalee and Daisya both gave futile attempts to telling him to come back.

He reached the railing that separated his gardens from the beach below.

He hit his head repetitively on the rail, not noticing—nor caring—about the thin stream of blood now trailing down the side of his head.

Head in his hands.

_This wasn't happening._

_Shit, this was happening._

He was shattered.

He didn't remember Daisya's cold hand on his shoulder.

He didn't remember being pulled into a car.

He didn't remember Lenalee cleaning the blood off his face.

He didn't remember the mug on tea pushed into his hands, nor the ones pushing it to his lips, forcing him to drink.

He didn't remember the fatherly arms pushing him to bed.

All he knew was they were gone.

As he woke up, quickly glancing at the wall clock, which read 2:31 in the afternoon, he sat up.

Trying to think where he was, it all came crashing back.

Daisya's house.

Rae, Sophia, gone.

_Life_ gone.

"You're awake, Yuu-kun," Tiedoll looked at him with sad eyes. Only then did he look around and notice Daisya, Lenalee, a seven month pregnant Allena, and Lavi standing in the room.

And then something struck him as odd.

"How the hell did I fall asleep?" he demanded loudly, getting up quickly. Daisya started suddenly from his position on the couch.

"Whaa—" Yuu stalked across the room and grabbed his partner by the rumpled collar.

"You-You didn't...Did you _drug _me?" he asked, incredulous. Daisya looked sheepish and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I wouldn't say _drugged, _I mean, medicated maybe..." Yuu shook him with each word that he spoke next.

"Why would you do that? There's so much that I have to do, I don't have time to even sleep—" Gently but firmly, Daisya took Yuu's hands away from his shirt collar and forced him to sit down. He buried his head in his hands.

"We didn't want to, but after we went over everything that happened, you started freaking out, bro. Lavi had some of his Bookman's old pills, and you needed to get to sleep..." But he was no longer listening. All that he could think about was Sophia. She was too young..._ Too young..._

They all looked at him expectantly.

"Quit staring," he grumbled.

"Sit," Daisya told him, pulling out a chair. Dazed, Yuu did as he was asked and looked down at the table.

"We found a note," he commented, picking up on the way his voice seemed to quiver. He cleared his throat and tried again, "They pinned it to her...to her … Blanket—"

"We're gonna find them, bro. I promise." Lavi said.

When she came to, the only thing that Rae could think about was her baby.

"Sophia?" she whispered loudly, panicked. She sat up too quickly, and her head spun. She pressed herself against the cold floor once again.

"Sophia!" she said, louder this time. She struggled to piece together what had happened, but it just wouldn't work. The last thing she remembered was saying goodbye to Yuu. And now she was here...Where ever here was. Rae waited for a few more moments before she got up again. She was in an empty room. The only doors that she could see were two steel ones, and even though she tried her hardest, they wouldn't budge. She sunk to the floor. Where was Sophia? _Where was her daughter_?

The next thing she knew, the doors flew open, and she was knocked out again.

**review please! ~**


	3. Don't Panic, Or Do So Freely

Yuu had been expecting a chaotic morning, and that was what he'd been getting. He had filed missing person for Rae, been interviewed, and checked up on what was beginning to be the investigation. Somehow, he managed all of this without breaking down. But when Rene appeared beside her desk and ordered him into her office, he suddenly wasn't as sure that he was going to be able to keep it together. Dazed, he took a seat by her desk and waited for her to say something. When she did, he didn't hear her. All that he could think about was time. Fifteen hours. That was how long Rae and Sophia had been gone. Fifteen hours without knowing; fifteen hours of torture, wondering if, wherever they were, they were together.

"Are you hearing me, Kanda?"

Yuu blinked and opened his mouth to respond, but she shook her head and cut him off before he could even really begin to say anything.

"Like I was saying, I suggest that you take some time off-"

"I can't," he interrupted. She raised an eyebrow, but he went on anyway.

"I need something to distract myself. I can't just sit at home and wonder what's happening to them. I need to be involved with something," he pleaded.

* * *

><p>The crying was the thing that woke her.<p>

"Sophia?" Rae breathed, opening her eyes and rushing to her feet in one fluid motion.

"Sophia! Thank God," she sobbed, scooping up her baby. Sophia was still fussing, but she quieted a little. Checking carefully, Rae saw that she'd been changed, (sort of), but that was about it.

"Shh," she murmured into her daughter's hair, rocking her back and forth.

It had almost been a day since she and Sophia had been taken. She exhaled heavily and told herself to take a breath. Yuu was coming for her. He knew that she was missing, and he was coming for them. All that she had to do was wait.

* * *

><p>Daisya closed the blinds and turned his back to them. His brother paced nervously around the room, talking rapidly on his cell phone. He wasn't getting any new information, and he was quickly becoming frustrated. Daisya could tell. Finally, Yuu hung up, clearly upset. Daisya nodded to the phone.<p>

"What'd he say?" Yuu shook his head.

"There were no prints on the knob besides ours. No prints on the note, or...or on Sophia's blanket, either. Only footprints look like ours," he said, sitting on the couch, dejected. His partner sat down next to him.

"What were you looking at outside?" he asked suddenly.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, there's a couple of news crews out there. I closed the blinds." Yuu pulled at the hair at his temples.

The doorbell rang, and Yuu sprinted to the door and answered it, expecting someone from the FBI. Instead, it was the lady from a couple of doors down. Peering over her shoulder, he saw the uniforms in the car down the drive. He nodded at them to wait up.

"Mrs Reid," he said.

"Yuu, honey, I'm sorry about Rae and Sophia."

He nodded automatically, wanting so badly to shut the door in the lady's face.

"Have you-"

"I'm actually kind of busy," he interjected, looking back into the house. She looked as if she'd just remembered something.

"Oh, right! I just came over here to drop some food off in case you've been too busy to make something to eat. And here, I think I got your mail by accident again. You know how that happens." He accepted the covered dish, and then looked down at the letter. It wasn't completely filled out on the front.

"Daisya?" he called out.

"Yo."

Yuu took a step back.

"This look suspicious to you?" Daisya cocked his head to the side and then reached into his back pocket and pulled out an evidence bag. He shook the letter into it and walked back inside.

"Mrs. Reid, who else has touched this besides you?"

She looked flustered.

"I..um, just me, I just brought in it...Maybe the mail man...Kanda, did I do something wrong?"

"No. Thank you," he said, closing the door. He knew that he was being rude, but he also knew what was in that envelope. Daisya had donned a pair of gloves out of Rae's pack at the kitchen counter and was sliding a finger under it. The envelope was still inside the evidence bag. He tugged the note out and held it up, still closed.

"If we're still dealing with the same jackasses, there won't be any prints on it. We can wait and call it in, or we can just open it now," he warned. Yuu stood behind him, biting his lip. He'd cast the plate aside, forgotten.

"Wait. No, open it...no-"

"Bro, it could just be nothing. What do you want me to do?"

He took a deep breath and then closed his eyes. "Read it to me."

"'I have your wife and daughter. They are safe—for now. I cannot promise they will stay that way if you do not do exactly as I tell you. Bring ten thousand dollars to the abandoned truck yard on Green Street at exactly one o'clock pm on Friday. Come alone, or I will kill my hostages. Do exactly as I say, and your family will be returned, unharmed. You will not be contacted by me again.'" Yuu shuddered. Carefully, Daisya put the letter back in the envelope and sealed the bag.

"Bro-" But even he was at a loss for words. Though neither of them said anything, they were both thinking the same thing:

_It had all just become real._

* * *

><p>Day broke on Friday morning, and Yuu still hadn't found sleep. He'd only dozed off once or twice since Rae and Sophia had gone missing, but it had only been for small periods of time. But now, especially now, he couldn't allow himself to be distracted. He would be meeting the kidnappers face to face in less than eight hours. He poured himself another cup of coffee and stared it down for a few moments before he picked it up and took a tentative sip. He hadn't eaten anything in the past forty-eight hours. He wasn't sure that he would be able to. He wandered into the kitchen and flipped on the lights. Daisya was watching the coverage on TV, and he shut if off when Yuu walked in.<p>

"Anything new?" Daisya shook his head and scrubbed at his eyes with the palms of his hands.

"No, just the same stuff. The ransom note hasn't hit yet." Yuu took a look at his watch and set the coffee down.

Suddenly, Yuu's phone hummed.

"Kanda." He answered it.

"Yuu. Get to the office. Now. It's important." Lavi's voice said quickly, as if rushed.

"Okay-?" Yuu said before the line disconnected.

Lenalee was waiting for them in Rene's office. Daisya watched as Lenalee embraced his partner.

"Detective Daisya, may we have a moment?"

He shook his head.

"I'm staying."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm staying," he repeated deliberately. Rene opened his mouth to respond, and Lenalee jumped in.

"We're wasting time here. Can we move on, please?" Just then, Lavi opened the door and took a place next to Daisya. Rene rolled her eyes and sat down behind her desk.

"This has obviously become a free for all."

"Anyway," Lenalee cut in, "Yuu, we know the ransom exchange is in a couple of hours, so we're going to prep you for that in a couple of minutes. Bookman and I didn't actually want to suggest this, because we think it's just a theory, but-"

"Detective Lee, we're wasting everyone's time here dancing around the subject. Either you tell Detective Kanda, or I will." Yuu looked around, obviously confused.

"Tell me...tell me what?" He looked unsteady, and Daisya stood ready to hold him up. Yuu waved him away.

"Well, Yuu, we got a case the other day..." Wordlessly, Lenalee handed him a case file. Daisya stood behind him and read over his shoulder.

"What does this have to do with— Holy _shit _" His knees buckled, and Daisya's arm shot out to grab him. The two of them lay on the floor, ignorant to everyone else.

"Hey, breathe," Daisya murmured, slapping the side of Yuu's face with the back of his hand, "Bro, breathe. It's okay." Yuu's eyes were closed, and his breath seemed to come in shallow gasps.

"…It can't-I can't-" he stammered, trembling.

"Don't even think about that now. Doesn't matter, bro. Doesn't matter. Just breathe," he told his partner. Then he turned to Lavi.

"Get him some water."

Faintly, he heard Lenalee say, "I told you we shouldn't bring this up unless we're absolutely sure. And we weren't."

* * *

><p><strong>Ooooh what will happen now?<strong>

Who are they talking about?

**Could Yuu's family be gone forever?**

STAY TUNED

**Ugh that was cheesy**

Owari.

* * *

><p><em><strong>TO MAKE THINGS CLEAR, BTW: <strong>_

_**Tiedoll's Company is sort of like a hardly known institute for missing persons, murders, etc. they usually get the job done. **_

_**But, they are so hardly known, in fact, that even Rae doesn't know Kanda's real job's nature. He has never lied to her, no, and has told her that his job was similar to hers, but he had never specified and so Rae never thought to interrogate him further. No, she's not a terrible wife, she is just too considerate, and leaves him be, believing that he would tell her when the time was right. **_

_**Now, Lenalee, Lavi, Kanda, Allena, Daisya, and Tiedoll are all part of this organization.**_

_**Bookman is dead. He used to be their best medic to perform autopsies, but died of poisoning on scene. His grandson, Lavi the homicide detective, is married to Allena, the current autopsy specialist. She is 7 months pregnant.**_

_**Lenalee and **__**Kanda **__** are also part of the homicidal department, which is where they met. There DAisya was intorduced to his current wife. Komui is the manager of that department.**_

_**Daisya **__**and Suman (not mentioned in story) are in the missing persons section. **_

_**Tiedoll is the main organizer of this entire orangization. **_

_**Chow. **_


	4. Murder of Another

Rossi saw the cop coming from where he sat. He got up and brushed himself off in wait. Truth was, there was nothing that he would rather do than simply run away, but he couldn't. Not before he tried to atone for his sins. He waited until they were only about three feet apart. He looked like he wanted to tear him apart with his bare hands, and Rossi couldn't really say that he blamed him. He spoke first.

"You got what I asked for?" But his voice faltered, and he knew that he sounded like a little kid playing cops and robbers at recess.

"I have...what you asked for. I want proof," the cop demanded through clenched teeth. Rossi dug out his cell phone and showed him a picture he'd taken the last time he'd seen them. Yuu reached for it, but Rossi grabbed it back.

"Not until I get my money." The officer dropped his bag beside him and reached for his pocket. Rossi figured that he was going to die, whether it was by this cop or one of his uncle's boys. He didn't have long.

"Listen to me-"

"No, listen to me," Rossi hissed over him, "They're going to kill me. I need to tell you something first." The cop's face went blank, and he shook his head.

"What?"

"Look, I don't have a lot of time, alright? Just listen to me before-Just listen. He made me do it. I didn't wanna at first, but he made me do it. I screwed it up, it wasn't supposed to be you, got it? I got the wrong people. I-" The cop grabbed him and shook him by the shoulders. Rossi couldn't breathe. He knew the bullet was coming.

"Names. Places. Something. TELL ME _ANYTHING_-"

"No!" Rossi sobbed, pulling away, "You can't help! Look, I-'m k-keeping...I'm keeping them at Connoli's Storage Centre. The abandoned one. Number 131. Just-" And then he heard the shot. Before he knew it, he'd slumped forward into the cop's arms. And then he was gone.

Though watching as someone was struck down was nothing new to Bookman, he still looked distressed. Lenalee was too busy watching the action on the screen to notice. Yuu was a complete mess, and her heart broke for him. All of this was too much for him to bear alone.

"Who fired?" she demanded suddenly, mind racing. No one had instructed their sniper to shoot.

"Tiedoll, did you shoot the suspect?" Lenalee asked over the com. Tiedoll radioed back instantly.

"No, no one gave the signal-"

"The shooter's still here!" Bookman and Lenalee concurred together.

"All units, we're looking for the shooter. Someone else shot the vic-" Bookman burst out of the car and took off running. Maybe if he was lucky, he'd catch a glimpse of something...But there was nothing. And judging from the way that the rest of the kidnapping had gone, he wouldn't find him. They were some sort of experts. His eyes found the body, which still lay, covered, in the middle of the lot. If they were professionals, then why send a kid? Lenalee jogged up beside him.

"Anything?"

"No, I couldn't..." But his mind was elsewhere.

"Lenalee, do you have other people looking for the shooter?"

"Everyone else who's here. Why?" Bookman pointed to the body without a word. Then he spoke.

"This is officially a homicide. We're in."

* * *

><p>It had been two weeks.<p>

_Two weeks._

They were gone; they had no trace.

Yuu slammed his head on the table.

"Yuu! YUUUUU!" he heard Bookman call.

"WHAT?" he shouted at the table.

"Your phone's ringing!" Bookman finally reached his desk, wheezing for breath while shoving the phone in his partner's face.

Deciding to ignore it, he was just about to chuck it over his shoulder when he caught sight of the caller.

_Rae._

By then the entire office was standing behind him, watching.

"Well?" Rene said, "Pick it up!"

Hesitantly, Yuu pushed the green button and put it on speaker while the entire building fell silent.

"Rae?"

"_Yuu? Are you okay, where are you?"_

"Rae, where are you?" Yuu asked, simultaneously jotting down on a paper: _ Track the call. _ He shoved the note at Lavi.

It sounded like she had started crying into the phone, and suddenly they heard her voice, "No, NO! Don't …!"

_Scream._

There was a grainy sound, and the voice of the caller changed.

"Ooh, she'll be a fun one to play around with."

"Where is she?_ What did you do to them?"_

"Wouldn't you like to see her again? I'm afraid that wouldn't be happing soon…. Good bye 3"

"HEY!"…_beep beep beep... _"Goddamnit," he said as he threw his phone into the pile of papers on his desk.

"Yuu?" Lavi muttered.

"Stop calling me that –!"

"You're not going to like this"

* * *

><p><strong>Kanda: you're made of crap<strong>

**BloodStains: yes, I am very well aware of that fact, but remember, i can do anything to you so shut it.**

**Kanda: hmphhh ha! sure! try it!**

**BloodStains: i will! *starts to type furiously***


	5. What Fate Does Not Contemplate

**(A/N: OKAY YOU HAVE TO READ THIS:**

**Okay, I haven't been exactly loyal, but what can I say? **

**Alright, here goes: I'm a totally crappy authoress and you guys hate me, yeah, yeah. Now, the real business: 3XK is a murderer from the TV show Castle, in case there are some of you out there who don't watch it. He kills by the threesome, never one by one, so here is Kanda, thinking there is going to be a massacre where Rae, Sophia, and he are going to be murdered. 3XK is also a master of very brutal killing. And, by the way, if I'm wrong, don't blame me. I googled it and I'm not really a big Castle watcher. **_**Plus, **_**I'm making the 3XK in this story one of our DGM's original characters, so no worries.**

**NOW:**** TEIDOLL'S COMPANY IS THE **_**SECRET**_** DETECTIVE COMPANY. WHERE RAE WORKS IS THE KNOWN DETECTIVE COMPANY. **

**Anyways, on with the plot: )**

"That's it, I'm leaving."

"No, no, Kanda, wait, _listen!"_ Yuu only stayed back for one reason: when the Usagi addressed him by his last name, Yuu knew he was being serious.

"What?" he growled.

Bookman shoved the paper in his face again, but this time Yuu took the liberty to actually read what had been printed out. He looked at Bookman in the eye sceptically, then grabbed his jacket and took off saying, "You tell them where I went and I swear I will mercilessly send you to your slow and painful death!"

He jumped into the conveniently roofless car and fumbled to get the car running. Taking remote roads to the area he needed to go, he swerved dangerously and skidded to a halt with a screech. He kicked open the warehouse's doors, pointing his loaded gun in front of him, straight into the first person he saw.

"Where are they?" he seethed.

"Who-?"

"_WHERE ARE THEY?"_

"My, my, what a desperate young man we have here," a voice said next to his ear. Yuu turned instinctively and changed the direction of the gun into the balaclava-covered face's forehead.

"Where are they?" he repeated.

"Oh, you're a bit too late," he man chuckled. "She's over there," he pointed to a wide screen where he saw a picture of a bloodied Rae lying up in a puddle of what was obviously her own blood. Her eyes bore into the camera, unblinking. Dull. Empty. Gone.

When he saw a frame coming closer to the victim, he realized it wasn't a picture, but a video. Live video. He searched frantically for the rise and fall of her chest which he hoped would be there, but, his attempts were futile. She wasn't breathing.

His beloved was gone.

"Where's my daughter?" he demanded.

The masked man chuckled. "Over there…" he pointed once again.

The baby was covered tightly in a heavy blanket, eyes closed and quiet, and his eyes widened as he thought her dead as well, before catching the hardly visible movement that indicated a beating heart and working lungs. He almost sighed in relief. Almost, "Give them back." He commanded, readying the gun.

"Take her. We have no need for the insolent brat. But the woman, no. She's mine to keep."

Yuu hardly had time to hold Sophia as she was shoved at him, and once he insured she was securely in his arms he turned to the man, saying, "Sick bastard!" as he shot out a bullet, but the man wasn't there.

He had vanished.

The murderer's servant didn't have time to run as Yuu shot three bullets into his back, killing him. He shouted out his misery and rage as he flung the gun to the floor, shattered.

He couldn't have looked for Rae's body. It would have been too dangerous with the 3-month old child in his hands. He drove back discreetly, even when holding Sophia Hana, which he knew was terribly dangerous. But he had no choice.

"What happened to you? Have you gone BEEPING nuts? Completely motherBEEPING senile? YOU IMPUDENT BEEPING BEEPS BEEP BEEEEEEEEP!"

Bookman, Lenalee and Daisya listened to the Head Chief Rene throwing insults at their fellow detective. Just as he had shown up back at HQ, she had handed Sophia to Lee, pulled Yuu into the interrogation room usually kept for the people of crime** (A/N: okay, yes, I forgot what they're called. I mean: kidnap = kidnappers. Murder = murderers. Rape = rapists. Crime = ?), **and shoved him into a chair. The voice recorders and sound transportation of the room had automatically changed her swear words into _**beeps**_, and thankfully for that, otherwise the three would have had to cover up Sophia's innocent baby ears to protect her innocent baby brain.

Yuu just sat there, slumped in his chair, not bothering to retaliate as they were all sure he would have. He just kept sitting there, as quiet as the table while staring – or glaring—at the floor in pain, hatred, anger, rage, disgust, soreness, loathing and ache all bundled up in one.

Just outside the room was a little recording room for live evidence. The three – or four, for that matter—were watching silently as more sparks flew at Yuu, and when the furious ranting finally stilled, Rene had her temples massaged by her fingers as though she had a headache. There was an awkward silence in the room neither bothered filling, and a few seconds later Rene decided to leave the room, either to go to her room or to get a cup of coffee was unknown.

Lenalee silently left the little spying spot, and Daisya watched his wife's retreating back as she carried little Sophia to her father.

"You heard the entire thing didn't you?" Yuu said quietly, and Lenalee watched as the baby's eyes opened as if an answer to her father.

He held her from under her arms in front of him, and sat her down gently on the table while still keeping hold on her. He sighed heavily as he touched his forehead to hers. "Where's your mother?" he whispered to her, staring at his baby as if waiting for an answer. Lenalee chose this time to silently step out of the room.

As they watched in total silence, Bookman noticed a tear slide down the side of Yuu's face.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Kill me, shoot some, blade me, I don't care!<strong>_

_**How could I do this to Yuu, I don't know.**_

_**And, important!:**_

_**For those who didn't bother reading what I said at the top:**_

**3XK is a murderer from the TV show Castle, in case there are some of you out there who don't watch it. He kills by the threesome, never one by one, so here is Kanda, thinking there is going to be a massacre where Rae, Sophia, and he are going to be murdered. 3XK is also a master of very brutal killing. And, by the way, if I'm wrong, don't blame me. I googled it and I'm not really a big Castle watcher. **_**Plus, **_**I'm making the 3XK in this story one of our DGM's original characters, so no worries.**

**NOW: TEIDOLL'S COMPANY IS THE **_**SECRET**_** DETECTIVE COMPANY. WHERE RAE WORKS IS THE KNOWN DETECTIVE COMPANY.**

******Kanda: crap**

**BloodStains: HA I MADE YOU CRY! NANANANANAAAAAAA!**

**Kanda: Che, bakromieo (retard )**

**Owari**


	6. Paths Taken

**Okay, yes, I'm getting some free time here and there so im updating fast. And, by the way, when I say "Bookman", I mean "Lavi" because Bookman Bookman is dead. Now anyways. I am sad. I feel like some kinda loner. The only ones that have reviewed are my cousins and sisters. WHERE ARE YOU PPL?**

**Hmph. Anyways.**

**The story.**

**Here goes.**

Bookman was the first who caught on.

Otsumara-Kanda Rae was dead.

The news spread quickly, though Yuu would rather it had not.

Handing his daughter to Lenalee, who was going to be under her aunt's care from that moment onwards (including feeding, changing, bathing, and the lot) because she understood Yuu would have no time while trying to search for the body of his wife. Tiedoll understood as well, giving his daughter-in-law a few weeks off to care for the three children she now had in her care, as she refused to bring her children up through any nanny or anything of the sort. Rae had been against it, too.

Yuu locked himself in Rae's office. He just needed to be alone. To think. Suck it up. Put it behind.

_But how?_

He let out a cry of anguish, of _suffering_. His hands were slammed on her table, and a drawer opened slightly. Pulling it open he saw a large frame with the both of them on it, smiling joyfully, happily, and they held in between them a barely 2 week old child that had her eyes and his hair. Her beauty. Now she'd be the only remainder of his wife. The one and only thing he could cling if he ever wanted to remember her.

He stepped backwards into the chair and sat, his eyes never leaving the smiling face of his wife.

_Damn, he missed her so much already._

He hung his head in dismay while his open hair formed a curtain hiding his face.

There was a loud knock on the door that snapped him out of his half-daydream he had zoned out with, about her smile, and it suddenly dawned on him how he would never be seeing it again…

The knock sounded again, impatiently this time, and he got up to answer the door, sure to put on a cold, indifferent stare for the person in front of him.

"What do you want?" he frowned.

"Come with me," Lavi whispered harshly. Looking from side to side cautiously, Lavi lead Yuu into his office and shut it behind him hastily before turning to Yuu, very, very gingerly, and began to talk.

**Okay, this is a very short chapter, but hopefully I'll be able to make up for that in the following chapters. I've got final exams coming up, and stuff. Sorry if my updating schedule isn't exactly on track.**

**Over and out.**


	7. I Want You Now

**Okay, sorry for the late updates, but I just got over my exams! WOOT!**

**But now I have a wedding in the family.**

**And a death.**

**And another wedding… so, sorry?**

**So, yeah.**

* * *

><p><em>Scream<em>.

And then silence.

Rae sneered vehemently at the shadow-hidden figure looming over her broken body, spiting at their heels.

That only ended her up with more pain. But she didn't care even if she died. If she dropped dead down here, in this….dump. She endured all this torture, but with what pain they had triggered to her heart, physical hurt didn't mean anything to her.

They had killed them.

Yuu and Sophia. A single tear allowed itself down her cheek.

"Get up," a deep voice commanded.

_Yuu…_

With a pained hiss, Rae balanced herself once more, unsteady on her feet. Mercilessly she was shoved into a chair, and soaked in cold, clothe-drenching water.

It confused her, but she remained silent.

Then, a sharp electric shock screamed through her.

Then, she was shoved into a dark, cold room, and it all turned black.

* * *

><p>Yuu jolted awake from his sleep, panting heavily. Cold beads of sweat trickled down his face, his hair damp and sticking to his bare back. He got up silently and made his way out of the guest bedroom of Daisya's house – his current habitation. Checking on Sophia, who remained in the nursery with May and Darren, he sighed before trudging into the bathroom. He stared at his reflection blankly. He noted the dark bags under his eyes, the dilation of his pupils, the reddening eyes. He saw it all. He shook his head, splashing cold water onto his face.<p>

_Rae…_

His hands slammed against the basin.

Suddenly, Sophia cried out, calling for attention from her father as he unlocked the bathroom door to rush to her. She continued to cry even after Yuu had picked her up, jiggling her in his arms in an attempt to calm her down, not wanting to wake the other two children occupying the room. His efforts ceased to work, forcing him to take her outside onto the balcony, knowing the insomnia was affecting her as well.

She sucked on his finger that night, until the warmth of her father lulled her to a sleep. She cozied against him, curling her fingers tightly around his. He took her back inside into his room, but the inability to sleep took over.

But then, with Sophia in his arms, his eyes grew heavy, and as the clock struck three at night, his eyes closed to a sleep.

* * *

><p>Morning found Rae in a cold, damp cell 18 feet under the basement of the hideout.<p>

She tried getting herself to stand, but her efforts were fruitless.

She was going to die here, she thought. She remembered the weak, needing voice of the husband she loved, and the daughter that might be left motherless. She couldn't move her hands to rub away the tears from her dirt-smudged face. The pain suddenly washed over her body, causing her to shake her chair until it threatened to break with creaking sounds. She screamed her emotions out, wanting nothing more than to be let free to see her family. Not just Yuu and Sophia. Everyone… Darren, May, Carmen and all their parents. She screamed until her voice broke. Tears streaked out the sides of her eyes.

She also remembered all the pain she had had to go through to be here today. She didn't know how she had bore it, but she had. All that crap, fucking, fucking torture.

And to find out her family had been murdered?

She needed to get out of there. Fast. Now. _How?_


	8. Believe Me, I Love You

**Disclaimer: I don't own. No, no.**

**A/N: Okay guys, really really sorry that I haven't been updating. I have a proper excuse! **

**I had exams, so I banned myself from all those weird contraptions we call our lives. It was hard, yes, to let go of my babies, but, you know. It had to be done.**

**I passed! A's and B's! Be proud of your author, people!**

* * *

><p>She could feel something restraining her back. <em>Chains<em>, maybe? It wrapped around her arms and legs as well.

Sticky substances ran down the side of her head and neck. Sweat and blood, perhaps?

Nothing made sense anymore. _Nothing_. Maybe it had once in a lifetime, maybe she once knew who the man with the dark long hair and cobalt eyes was. Maybe she had known who that small child was.

But now, she knew nothing.

She was only aware of one thing: she was going to die.

* * *

><p>Daisya found the pair of father and daughter on the couch early the next morning. Sophia lay on her father's chest serenely, and he was sure it was the most sleep both Kanda and her had gotten since Rae had disappeared.<p>

They looked so cute asleep together~!

Despite the serious situation, Daisya couldn't resist a few quick snaps.

Kanda stirred at the slight sounds of the camera, fatherly instincts kicking in. His eyes opened to search for any danger but found Daisya instead. Upon seeing his obnoxious brother he relaxed and his head thumped back into the sofa's armrest, eyed closing.

That's when Sophia woke up crying. With a prolonged inward groan Kanda opened his eyes again, and was about to get off of the sofa when his brother smiled slightly. "I'll take her to Lenalee," he said, understanding, taking the crying now-four-month-old for feeding, "You just sleep."

Kanda watched Daisya's retreating back and wondered how he had managed to end up with such understanding people. Then it struck him_; how could he go see his daughter's little milestones without Rae? How would he?__  
><em>  
>That was something he didn't want to think of now. Now, it was all about sheltering his daughter from the rest of the world. He needed to learn who to trust, and he knew the ones he could were only a handful.<p>

Yuu didn't know how long he sat there, glaring at the mantle, pondering, but in what he felt was a few minutes, Lenalee sat by him with a fully fed and changed Sophia.

She leaned her head on her best friend/brother-in-law's shoulder, one arm freeing itself and going around him, hugging him as tightly as she could manage. He felt her warm tears slip onto his leg.

"It's okay," he whispered. He found it odd that he was the one left to comfort her, when his wife had died.

No, she had been _murdered_.

In front of their infant child.

Yuu knew he wouldn't be able to forgive the son of a bitch who did this, and he didn't plan to.

He leaned his head on Lenalee's, looking at the only reminder he had of Rae. A warm arm held Lenalee in comfort. He knew Daisya wouldn't mind. They were brothers, after all, and Daisya trusted both his wife and him.

Yuu sighed. Sophia was so beautiful. Without knowing what she was doing, Sophia Hana opened her large green eyes, blinked, and managed to return solace into her father's heart.

The father that had been staring at her, smiling softly and, bowing his head down and crying, for only the second time in his life after infancy.

* * *

><p>How much time had passed?<p>

Where was she?

Why were those men, with the strange red eyes, torturing her?

_WHY COULDN'T THEY JUST LET HER DIE?!__  
><em>  
>She sobbed for herself. Not only for herself, but for her lost memory.<p>

For that man...

She needed to find him. That was all she knew now.

Suddenly a shock of electricity captured her body, pain shooting throughout her. Her brain throbbed.

This was their new form of trying to strike terror into her. To talk. To yield.

About what, though, she didn't know.

A light beamed through the dark room, and a man dressed fully in black entered. He asked her something, but she couldn't hear; her brain refused to cooperate, and her ears just wouldn't listen.

"Did you hear me?!" he yelled.

She saw his arm rise for a blow. She shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself for it, tears reducing whimpers, and then silence.

And like that, he knew she had been broken. A smirk passed through his lips, and he delivered the final slap he was allowed to.

Then, worse things came.

* * *

><p><strong>I wrote this, legit, last night. It was three am and I wasn't in the best of moods. True, I had been planning for Rae not to have been killed, and for Kanda to suffer like that. But I guess that it all kinda came more angsty when I wanted to murder someone. <strong>

**Oh, and if you could read my sister's story, From Beneath, something like that. It's from VampireLoveStory.**

**She's really pissing me off about not having any followers or reviewers. **

**Over and Out!**


	9. Gone, Innocent, Free

**I Will Always  
>Chapter 9<strong>

**KandaxOC (Rae Kanda)**

* * *

><p>There was no more news that Daisya brought home regarding finding Rae. They had followed every lead —<em>every lead<em>— no matter how small, until they were left for ashes.

Everyone at the organization had their own problems with the case, and Yuu had his own heavy share. There were FBI agents pestering him about the case, but his high status had helped him postpone the meeting— to today. He only moved the schedules around because he was confident they would be of no help. The Tiedoll group were the strongest force on the field, and if his own brother, missing person extraordinaire, couldn't find her, no one would—Daisya was the best there ever was, and ever would be.

And so, he had no hope to find his wife to commemorate her death with a funeral.

He didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse.

Tiedoll reminded him of his meeting today.

Lenalee reminded his of his meeting.

Daisya. Lavi. Allena. Even Fou, the cold-hearted pathologist that cared for none. Apparently she had cared for Rae, because she yelled at Kanda not to miss it or it'd be his body she'd be examining next after making his death look like an accident.

She seemed pretty serious.

So Yuu pulled out his uniform, and without ironing it he pulled it on. The two agents would be at the Barry household soon, so he quickly clicked his official badge into place on his breast pocket and waited.

And he waited...  
><em><br>Ding-dong!_

There they were. Yuu pinched the bridge of his nose, and opened the door.

* * *

><p>"Mr. Kanda Yuu?" A voice said. He opened his eyes. He didn't even know when he had closed them. He had answered everything. He forgot to mention nothing. That cursed day still remained as vivid in his mid as if it were that very day. The memory would never leave him, of that he was sure.<p>

It had been hours of endless questioning. He knew they were going no where with this case.

She had been gone for far too long. These past few months of anxious waiting and hope had been _agony. _Her daughter had acknowledge her mother's absence, and was _miserable. _

_Their child was **suffering **from her mother's loss._

"Yes?" Yuu answered, as it was an awkward break from the 10 minute silence that had previously hung in the air.

The two FBI agents glanced at one another, almost cautiously. That look was very uncommon for an agent of the Federal Beau of Investigation.

"We've just received a call. Your wife's body has been found."

"What? Her _body_?!"

"Yes, Mr. Kanda. I'm afraid your wife has been murdered."

* * *

><p><strong>DUN DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUN~ <strong>

**Hey guys!**

**Don't kill me, I know it's been long. But I was actually working on millions of things. You have no idea of the things I'm storing for you people. I'm planning and writing over 17 stories currently for this site, and more for school and competitions. So, hectic! **

**Now, I gotta go, so...**

**MWAH MWAH!**

**Love you all :***


	10. Tortured Souls

The next few weeks could be described as _bloody_ hectic. Though there was a complete silence in the Barry household (even the children knew the tension when it hit them in the face), Rene was a stinging pain up the ass for most of the family at work. Tiedoll had his own way of mourning and commemorated his daughter's death daily: he didn't come to work to co-manage the precinct with Rene anymore. Because of this, Yuu, Daisya and Lenalee— the only remaining legal relatives that Rae knew—were given a **shitload** of work more.

Yuu? He was just in a daze the entire time. As soon as those agents had gotten that call, he had stood right up and demanded to see her body.

It just couldn't be her.

It couldn't.

The body was clearly a woman. The figure had suggested that. The rest of the former human could not be deciphered clearly enough to know who the victim was. Her eyes had sunk deep into her skull after a heavy bashing. Her auburn hair was tanned in blood and grease and oil and grime. Rae hated bad hair. But it was what she had gotten at her death. Her limbs were hanging off her in weird and awkward angles. Her face so bruised and disfigured that not even her own mother could recognize her, as even her own husband didn't. It was horridly horrifying.

Her teeth- her perfect, white clean teeth- had been knocked out of her jaws one by one. Her fingerprints had been burnt off to the extent that there was hardly and flesh to observe on her fingertips.

Her clothes torn and tattered.

Her hair pulled off from different places on her head.

Her former self in pain, murderous pain and torture.

Yuu couldn't have it.

He left without even finding a flaw in the case.

If only he had.

As Yuu's shadow left behind him, unblocking the sun's rays that beamed on the body, a metallic object glinted. Nobody noticed.

* * *

><p>Lenalee's job that night was to take on this case as hers. The M.E. who had done all Rae's previous cases just happened to be the one doing this one.<p>

The job was agonizing for the Tiedoll family during the day. It was more than that when everyone came back home. The guest room Kanda stayed in was always locked, sometimes with Sophia Hana in there with him, but that was the only person allowed in there—only because she was his daughter. On day one after the news was publicly released Daisya had been 100% sure that Kanda had wrecked his guest bedroom. There was a big mess in Yuu's life right now to consider, so Daisya didn't—and couldn't— blame him. Lenalee had taken the three kids out that afternoon to some children's event when he first heard it. There was an impending sense of doom, and then there was a crash. Kanda might have knocked it down accidentally but then Daisya had heard the sounds. The mixed sobs and the yelling. He didn't intrude, but he heard. He heard his brother's pain. And he never thought he'd get used to that sound from Kanda, but over the next few days he did.

He did.

And that sucked.

He hadn't told Lenalee— she'd found out by herself. His son, Darren, once asked, "Why's Ojisan crying?"

Lenalee and Daisya never had the heart to tell the four year old child that his Obasaan had passed from the world. Both children had loved their aunt very much, so they couldn't talk to them until they had... Closure, I guess. It would be almost traumatic to them if they found out she had been tortured and murdered.

So the couple kept quiet. They let Kanda stay in his room in silence. They didn't pressure him about anything. It was weird for them to see the most powerful in their family come crusading down in the debris of heartbreak through murder. So even though he never exited his area (save for mornings when he went to work) they never pestered him. He didn't eat. He drank one cup of coffee daily. As far as his family could tell, that was it for the day. One. Single. Cup. Like he was on a hunger strike.

Yuu ended up breaking quite a few things in his room, and of the main ones: a blue marble vase Lenalee hated, a beautiful but old-and-already-cracking wooden chair and another green vase everyone forgot existed**. (A/N: Basing this off my own family guest room casualties).**

Kanda nearly even left the Barry household to die himself. He was a man of dignity, though, and as he did go out for a few drinks one night to wash his pain away for some temporary time, he refused internally to get drunk or commit suicide. He wasn't that foolish; he knew he had a daughter at home to protect and he wasn't going to give up on her and the life she should have. The girl would now live without a mother and that wasn't optional anymore as fate had made its move, but he wasn't going to let her live without a father as well. That would be entirely his fault if he let that happen and make her an orphan.

So now he had to deal with it and then...

Then he needed to learn how to move on... No matter how long it took... He would try. Yuu had never loved nor lost anyone as close to him as his wife before, so he didn't know how to, but he was determined to try.

Rae...

He raised his glass to his lips and drank some more.

* * *

><p>It was a few hours into the case when their M. E. and pathologist Fou decided to give up on her boss' corpse. It was distracting to know who the body belonged to personally, even more so knowing that she had hardly any way of linking this body to the person they thought it would be- how exactly were they even sure this was her? Only the fact that the victim and their missing person shared the same hair and skin colour, and that the clothes that had been shredded on her body was the precise match the detailed description Detective Kanda had given Detective Daisya when he was asked. Otherwise, the teeth were all gone: they couldn't run it through dentistry records. Her fingerprints had been sired off. (Even on her feet! Nobody does that!); they couldn't run it through the print log. Whoever did this must have been a real paranoid psycho, or just plain psycho. Her face was completely <em>gone<em> to say the least. The only thing she could gather was that the cause of death had been blunt force trauma. X-ray scans suggested she had her head severely bashed in, and that the torture... The burning hands, the twisted limbs, the beaten face... Every blow had been delivered before her murder. The bruises on her arm was dedicated to a few weeks prior, while the death could merely be proclaimed to be a three days, possibly only minutes before the old homeless bastards had found her, then trying to get paid for their find. Bastards. She had only arrived and put her gloves on when she saw Yuu slam the patrol car door shut, almost breaking it before kneeling by the body himself. Fou wasn't that big of a Kanda supporter, but as she looked up from her quick examination she saw the pain he had in his eyes, and her cold heart melted and softened for him.

"What happened?" He had demanded.

"I can't tell until I've gone to the morgue, Kanda, you'll have to wait some time," she had told him soothingly, her gloved hand gripping his arm consolingly, even though she knew a man in his position could do nothing with consoling. So he had nodded understandingly without lifting his eyes to look at her. He just left. He didn't get into the car again as Lenalee drove toward the crime scene; he walked home, all seven miles of it. Nobody had even the right to stop him.

* * *

><p>It had been three weeks since they found the corpse. Yuu had stopped counting, but Lenalee pointed out that Sophia had turned 8 months old. Yuu was being so sullen that day when Lenalee had pulled him out of his room for a rare lunch that all he could think about was that it meant that Rae hadn't been in his life for the past five months. Lena was trying to do a good job in trying to cheer her old friend and brother-in-law up, so she sighed when she saw no reaction from him. He only nodded and held his girl in his arms, rocking her back and forth and with one hand played with his food, pretending to put it in his mouth every time Lenalee looked at him.<p>

"Mate," Daisya said, nudging him slightly, then leaned in to whisper, "You're teaching my kids the _wrong_ stuff."

"Shut up, you," Kanda told him but barely smirked as per the usual. But then again, nothing was usual around here anymore.

A few quiet days later was May's first birthday. There was no big celebration, but Kanda did go out of his way to get his niece a reasonable gift. In the end he had just given money; buying gifts was something Rae always managed to do properly, not him. It sucked having to remember her every single day.

It sucked having to remember her every single day. When everything just reminded him of her. In his chest he felt a weighty load: almost like guilt. Like it was his fault he had left home for work that morning. Like it was his fault he came home too late even though he was early that day for lunch. Like it was his fault she had—

Stop.

No.

It wasn't _like_ it was his fault.

It _was_ his fault.

He should have stayed, damn it. He should have gone to the ransom drop alone. He should have gotten her body from that old place. She wouldn't have been tortured. Most of all, she wouldn't have been dead. He should have realized that the bluffing bastard was just that- a bluffing bastard. He should have realized that his wife was ALIVE when he saw her that night. He should have, damn!

Damn, damn, fucking _damn_!

He inhaled deeply, almost like he was content with the silence of his room, but then he wanted Sophia. He wanted to hold her and feel like he could protect her when he couldn't protect her mother. He wanted to feel as if it was okay again and that he could once again have someone blindly trust him again like they once did. He wanted to be his daughter's safe landing spot.

He got up from the chair he had been occupying since midnight last night, stretching his sore limbs, and leaving to the nursery Lenalee had made beside his room. As Sophia saw him she grinned widely, swinging her arms up and down in excitement, deserting her toys.

There was that _feeling_. That pride he had every time he looked at her. He could never get used to that one feeling.

Her teeth were already starting to show. He picked her up carefully, and pulled her onto his lap, jiggling his 8-month old baby.

Then she started crying, because she remembered.

It had been so long, but she remembered: where there was daddy there was mommy. And now she wanted mommy.

And Yuu felt terrible.

Because he couldn't give her what right now they both wanted.

* * *

><p><strong>BloodStains: <strong>**Hey guys! I think my writing has gone better, don't you? I'm so ashamed of the shit in the previous chapters. Ugh, seriously.**

**Ojisan****: Uncle**

**Obasaan****: Aunt**

**I have never before answered a review before in a chapter, but because this one reviewer just happened to be a guest that I wanted to get my point across to, I will today.**

**This is to Justice: (that's the name, I'm not being cheesy or anything here)**

**Looking. Thank you, I think I'm a decent author as well. What the heck I'm doing is writing. The characters are… OOC? Thank you for pointing that out to me, I will work on that. I hope I managed to do that in this chapter, but personally I think any love story with Kanda in it will end up as OOC. The second main character is an OC, yes, but that is how most of my stories are. I like OCs. I'm sorry to all those people I disappoint who don't like OCs. True, this is barely DGM, but I like AUs as well. Rae is one of my best and strongest characters, and I didn't want to make this story yaoi, so yes I made Allen a girl. She isn't mentioned much either, so you shouldn't exactly worry. But thank you very much you cannot boss my ass around I am not your personal servant to listen to your every beck and call. I shall decidedly **_**not **_**change all their names and post it otherwise, as I strongly believe in this fan FICTION. Ever wonder why they call it that? Fan FICTION? Don't be comfortable reading it if you want, but I'll keep it this way, thanks. I apologize for my rudeness but I will remain strong to this p****oint.**

**Mwah mwah love you, more next week, I hope. **


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